Distinct Roles of Met and Interacting Proteins on the Expressions of Family Genes in Brown Planthopper.

The family genes encode relatively small proteins that are related to olfaction and are regulated by juvenile hormone (JH). The genes modulate various physiological processes, such as behavioral plasticity in the migratory locust and feeding and courtship behaviors in . Therefore, to understand the regulatory mechanism of these physiological processes, it is important to study the expressions of the genes that are regulated by JH signaling. We used quantitative real-time PCR (qRTPCR) to study the role of JH signaling in the regulation of the family genes in the brown planthopper () through the application of Juvenile hormone III (JHIII) and the down-regulation of key genes in the JH signaling pathway. The topical application of JHIII induced the expressions of most of the family genes, and their expressions decreased 2 and 3 days after the JHIII application. Down-regulating the brown planthopper JH receptor NlMethoprene-tolerant (NlMet) and its interacting partners, NlTaiman (NlTai) and Nlß-Ftz-F1 (Nlß-Ftz), through RNAi, exhibited distinct effects on the expressions of the family genes. The down-regulation of and () increased the expressions of the family genes, while the down-regulation of the Met interacting partners and decreased the expressions of most of the family genes. This work advanced our understanding of the molecular function and the regulatory mechanism of JH signaling.